Land of No Return
by Eh Man
Summary: Classic O.C. The final showdown between everyone's favourite Bad Boy and Beach Jock. [Takes place early in series, about 5th episode.]
1. The Challenge

Author's Notes: Hi! This is the first chapter of what will be a three chapter fic. I wrote it awhile ago, I'm really sorry for not posting it right away!  
  
For those of you who don't know me, (aka most of you) I'm Kate, your lovely authoress for this evening! Uh huh. Anyway, yeah. How do you do? ^_^ This is my first O.C. fic, but I've seen all but one of the shows! So I feel I'm a little prepared!  
  
Okay, for you people following The O.C. regularly, this fic comes after 'The Outsider' but before 'The Girlfriend'. There it branches out, and doesn't follow 'Girlfriend' and so on. If you don't watch regularly, ignore what I just said.  
  
I hope you like it! I love drama, so this promises to be an exciting fic! ^_~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own The O.C.  
  
~*~  
  
Music blared across cresting waves and white sand beaches. The soft smooth sand was marred by clumsy footprints, and a beer can was occasionally strewn around like a bad form of decoration. Voices and laughter broke through the loud music, coming from a beach house on the edge of a large, spacious house, and giving a form of life to the warm August night.  
  
Inside the pool house, the darkness of outside made a huge contrast to the brightly coloured interior. Young men and women were dancing to the music, talking in little groups, clustered around the refreshment table, or kissing on the couches. Alcohol flowed freely, although almost all the occupants of the party were underage.  
  
"She's not coming, is she?"  
  
Summer's glance was quick, but regret and disapproval at her friend was plain in her eyes. Luke shifted his weight from one foot to the other in agitation.  
  
"No, she started ditching these parties soon after Chino got here." Summer said airily, then went back to smiling flirtatiously at the boy next to her.  
  
Luke nodded, and waded through the crowds of dancing teens to sit on the couch. He scowled at passing couples dancing, or walking with their arms around each other. Chino. That's where all his problems started. That stupid kid who came to their side of town and made himself right at home. He had no business to stay around Marissa, none at all. Even if they DID live next to each other, that gave no reason for him to start hanging out with her all the time.  
  
This wasn't Marissa's fault in his mind, she was the damsel in distress, and he had tried his best to be the gallant knight and save her, but that damn Chino kept getting in the way. The way things were going, things were going to be over between him and Marissa, if they weren't already. The way he saw it, they were on a 'break'. That meant he had licence to check out some of these girls, didn't it?  
  
Holly smiled across the room at Luke, and sidled up to him. She was dressed in a bikini top and a low cut jean skirt. Her blonde hair flowed in curls framing her face. She sat next to him on the couch, then leaned in and kissed him.  
  
****  
  
Marissa stepped out of her car onto white high heels. Closing the door behind her, she looked at Holly's pool house with a sigh. After a long heated talk with her mother, Julie had convinced her that her life would be much better off if she stayed with Luke. And to do that she needed to go to this party. And her mother had gotten into it and told her what to wear.  
  
The result was that she looked like the typical Newport Beach rich girl.  
  
O.C. Barbie.  
  
Grabbing the white hand bag, Marissa threw her curled hair over her shoulder, put on her dark sunglasses, checked her lipstick and walked up to the house. She was wearing a tight white halter top, and low-rise white jeans that she could barely move in. Seeing the door was open, she stepped threw and into the party, making sure not to stumble on her heels.  
  
She gazed around for Luke, pushing her sunglasses up onto her forehead. He would be here, he was always at these parties. Suddenly, she noticed half the party was watching her. More and more people stopped what they were doing and stared at her, as if waiting for something to happen.  
  
She saw someone rushing towards her threw the crowd in the pool house. It was Summer. She looked slightly frantic.  
  
"Let's go outside," She said quickly, grabbing Marissa's shoulders and pushing her in the direction of the door.  
  
"Why, I have to find Luke," Marissa said, confused. She was still gazing around for Luke.  
  
"Come-"  
  
She didn't hear the rest of what Summer was saying. Marissa stopped where she was, frozen in place. She was speechless. She had found Luke.  
  
He was lying on the couch next to Holly, with one hand in her hair and the other on her lower back kissing her passionately.  
  
Suddenly, Luke realized that it was deadly quiet other then the music. He lifted his head to see what it was, and saw Marissa staring at him. He immediately sat up, wiping lipstick off his face, and accidentally pushing a disgruntled Holly to the floor.  
  
"Marissa, honey, it's not what it looks like..." Luke started. He stood up and started walking towards her. "Let me explain-" He was cut off as he reached Marissa.  
  
She had slapped him hard across the face.  
  
There were a few whistles and catcalls at this, but other then that, the room was quiet. The music still blared loudly.  
  
"Explain?" Marissa whispered. Her voice rose as she continued. "Explain?!? What is there to explain, Luke? I came here tonight to make things up with you. I couldn't have made a bigger mistake. Why did I ever think you and I could be together? It's over, Luke. Don't call me."  
  
She ran out off the party, and scrambled to put the key in the lock of her car. Finally fitting it in, she unlocked the car and got behind the wheel. Her breath was coming fast, and she felt a sharp burning behind her eyes. A tear escaped from the corner of her eye, and slipped down her cheek.  
  
When she arrived home, there were silent tears streaming down her face. She parked at the bottom of the driveway, and climbed out of the car. She slammed the car door closed with all her might, and then felt all her strength had been sapped from her. She collapsed to the ground, her knees buckling under her. She sat, leaning against the wheel of her car, with her hands on the white bag shaking in her lap.  
  
***  
  
Ryan and Seth were hanging out in the Cohen's pool house. Seth was playing excitedly on a gameboy, and Ryan lay with his hands behind his head on his bed.  
  
"YES! I beat my score! Whose the man?!?" Seth yelled suddenly. Ryan laughed from the bed.  
  
"You guessed right, my friend. Seth Cohen. Seth Cohen everybody, remember that name, because it will be coming to a radio and tv set near you very soon!" Seth continued, in his element.  
  
Suddenly, a hard banging sound reached their ears from outside.  
  
"What was that?" Ryan asked, sitting up.  
  
"Well, I don't think anyone was popping champagne....So, I'm out of ideas." Seth shrugged.  
  
"Maybe someone's cars screwed up." Ryan suggested.  
  
Seth laughed. "Are you kidding? A screwed up car in Newport Beach? That wonderful place in the world where if a scratch happens to be on the door, they buy a whole new one?"  
  
"Then what was it?" Ryan got up, and went to the door of the pool house, Seth behind him. He walked around to the driveway, and raised his eyebrows at what he saw. Marissa Cooper leaning against the wheel of her car, dressed obviously for a party.  
  
"I'm going to guess that was what it was." Seth said calmly, pointing to Marissa. Ryan nodded, and jogged down the driveway. Seth sighed, and followed him. "Oh sure, ditch your friend for a girl. Happens every time."  
  
As Ryan reached Marissa, she looked up at him through shimmering eyes. There were streaks of tears running down her face, dark with mascara. Ryan crouched down next to her.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked gently. She looked up at him, and with an obviously impulsive movement threw her arms around him. His eyes widened slightly, but awkwardly patted her back. She started to sob into his shoulder. He looked up from the ground at Seth, who raised his palms in a 'what's up?' gesture. Ryan shrugged.  
  
Seth leaned against the car. Ryan kept patting Marissa's back, at loss of what to do. Seth made circling motions in the air with his palm. Ryan stared at him in confusion. Seth rolled his eyes. He pretended he was holding someone like Ryan was, and made circular motions on the invisible person's back.  
  
"What the hell?" Ryan mouthed to Seth. Seth sighed, and murmured something inaudible about having to teach him EVERYTHING. Leaning down, he grabbed Ryan's wrist and rubbed Marissa's back in a circular motion.  
  
"Oh." Ryan said with sudden understanding, and Seth nodded and smiled sarcastically and went back to leaning on the car.  
  
After about fifteen minutes, Marissa sniffed, and leaned back. She stared at Ryan. He looked back at her. "Are you okay?" He repeated. She shook her head.  
  
"Luke is being a jerk. Again. Cheated on me with Holly, at one of her parties. I broke up with him." She whispered, watching Ryan.  
  
"Does that mean you want to go out with me tomorrow night?" Ryan said slowly. He smiled weakly at her. She laughed slightly and nodded, bringing her face up and kissing him.  
  
"Er. Right. Imma gunna go, uh." Seth stuttered uncomfortably. He pointed at the house. "Er....yeah. See ya." He jogged backwards a bit, then turned and walked up to the house.  
  
Marissa and Ryan laughed at him, and then smiled at each other.  
  
*****  
  
"So does this mean you're now officially going with the girl next door?" Sandy asked a few nights later at the dinner table. The candles were lit, there were two forks beside every plate, and there were glass dishes in plain use. Just a normal Cohen dinner.  
  
Ryan's head shot up from where he had been staring at his dinner plate. His eyes were wide with shock.  
  
Seth snorted with laughter, but one look from Kirsten silenced him. He pretended to be looking intently at his plate, but couldn't help grinning at the floundering look on Ryan's face.  
  
"Uh...I guess..." Ryan said, going back to his food.  
  
"Define 'I guess'." Sandy turned to Kirsten. "Kids these days. 'I guess' instead of yes or no. Pretty silly, if you ask me."  
  
"Argh!" Seth groaned. "Parents trying to be funny. Oh the horror! The horror!"  
  
Sandy picked up his fork and pantomimed jabbing his son with it. Ryan laughed.  
  
"Ryan," Kirsten said, changing the subject. "I don't know if I've ever heard you speak a complete sentence."  
  
"You know what? I don't think I have either." Sandy agreed.  
  
"I have!" Seth said, raising his hand like he was answering a question in class.  
  
Ryan laughed quietly. "I talk in full sentences!"  
  
Seth gasped, pretending to be taken aback. "Wow, did you hear that Mom? Dad? It talks!"  
  
"Very impressive, Ryan." Sandy said, clapping. "We're all very proud of you."  
  
"Mmm." Kirsten agreed. "Desert, anyone?  
  
This innocent question was met with hearty agreements from the three males in the house.  
  
"I'll take that as a reluctant yes." Kirsten commented, and got up from the table to get it.  
  
After they had all feasted on chocolate cake, they all helped take the plates back into the kitchen.  
  
"Alright. Kirsten, you start filling the dishwasher, and Seth and I will tie Ryan's arms to his sides so he doesn't wash the plates." Sandy ordered.  
  
Ryan held up his arms. "I promise! I promise!"  
  
"It won't last," Seth muttered, and Ryan gave him a shove.  
  
***  
  
A week later, it was very official around the Cohen residence that Ryan and Marissa were indeed a couple. The Coopers didn't know it yet, but the Cohens expected they'd find out in time. Marissa often joined Ryan and Seth in their lazing around the house, which was fine with Sandy and Kirsten. The Coopers just thought their daughter had taken pity on the socially inept boy next door and the poor, misguided youth the Cohens had taken in out of sympathy.  
  
Marissa, Ryan and Seth were hanging out in the pool house when they heard a knock on the door. Looking through the glass, they saw it was Anna. The girl from the debut into society party that had taken a liking to Seth. She was leaning against the doorframe in frayed jeans and a dark green t shirt.  
  
Ryan opened the door, and she charismatically at him.  
  
"Hi, is Seth there? His parents said I could find him here..." She said quickly.  
  
"Yeah, hey, Seth!" Ryan called over his shoulder, and the man in question appeared from behind the door.  
  
"Uh, hey, Anna! Would you like to, uh, come in?" He stuttered. Marissa giggled at him, and Ryan held a hand over her mouth, but smiled also.  
  
"Confidence, remember?" Anna said, flirtatiously patting him on the shoulder.  
  
"Uh, yeah- I mean, Yes." Seth said very quickly. "Yes. Confidence. I have confidence in confidence alone. Yupp."  
  
"Good, but I don't think singing The Sound of Music was required..." Anna said, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh but it was! The hills are alive, with the sounds of music..." Seth sang.  
  
"Shut up, Seth." Ryan said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"I think we need to work on his people skills," Marissa suggested. Ryan grinned and nodded.  
  
"Uh huh." Anna said. "But what I came here to ask was, would you like to take me to Holly's party tonight? I've never been, but from what I hear I don't want to go alone."  
  
"You mean...Like a date?" Seth asked quickly.  
  
"Yeah, although, really, you should have been the one to ask, but I thought I'd get us started." Anna said.  
  
"Okay. Pick you up at nine." Seth said, smiling.  
  
"Sounds good," Anna said, smiling back. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "See you later." Before she left her gaze paused on Ryan and Marissa sitting close to each other. "So you too are finally a couple, huh? Good luck with that, your gunna need it." She said, in way of encouragement. With one final smile at Seth, she exited.  
  
"B-bye!" Seth stammered, still standing with his arm raised in a wave five minutes after she had actually left.  
  
Ryan laughed, but Marissa was getting worried. She gave him a little shove. "Fine, fine!" He said. He got up, and walked over to Seth.  
  
"Seth, buddy. She's gone now." Ryan said. Seth blinked, then suddenly grabbed Ryan's shoulders.  
  
"Us? Did you hear that? She said 'us'. As in we were an 'us'." Seth babbled.  
  
"Yes, that usually is what 'us' means. Two or more people." Marissa defined. Seth glared at her, then turned back to Ryan and fell on his knees.  
  
"Man, you gotta help me. Come with me to Holly's party tonight, please!" Seth pleased. Ryan shook his head. "Please? I'm begging you. You're like my brother now, or something Ryan, brothers do things for one another. You and Marissa come with Anna and me and make sure I don't make a complete fool of myself! Besides, you and Marissa can make your 'debut into society' or whatever as a couple."  
  
Ryan looked at Marissa, and she nodded nervously. "Fine, we'll come." He told Seth, who immediately jumped up and hugged him awkwardly.  
  
"Thanks man, I'll never forget this." Seth said ecstatically. Ryan sighed.  
  
"Somehow I don't think I will either."  
  
***  
  
Ryan knocked on Sandy's study door. There was a cheery 'come in!' from the other side, so he pushed the door open and stuck his head through. Sandy was sitting at his desk, which had piles of charts so high it was amazing he could see the man on the other side at all.  
  
"Ryan!" Sandy said, taking off his glasses. "You're the last person I'd expect to see here. Is something wrong?"  
  
Ryan almost said 'no' out of reflex, but caught himself just in time. "Yeah, uh, do you have a minute?"  
  
Sandy gazed at him for a second, then pushed a pile of folders off a seat across from his desk. As Ryan slouched down in it, Sandy looked over at him.  
  
"So. What can I do for you, Ryan?" Sandy asked. "Should I put on my attorney look, my wise parent look, or my comforting father look?"  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Sorry, that wasn't really a question. What's bothering you?"  
  
Ryan scratched his head. "Well...Here goes nothing.  
  
"Seth was asked tonight by Anna. You know, the girl he debuted with at Cotillion. That's a good thing, but that's where the good points end. She invited him to one of Holly's parties, which I'm sure you know aren't exactly known for their wholesomeness. But the worst part is, Luke will be there. I knew Marissa and I would have to admit to being a couple to everyone outside of this family, but...Luke won't be happy.  
  
"I don't care if anyone else minds, but it's going to be interesting with her ex. I'm not afraid of him, I could take him on any day. But you said I wasn't supposed to get into any more trouble, and last time I checked, fighting at parties counted as that. So basically, I'm going to get the stuffing kicked outta me. Seth could get pulled into it too, or something. But I can't fight back, if he touches me. We can't not go, that would be bad to Seth, who's been looking forward to this all night. But what should I do?"  
  
Ryan said all this very quickly. Sandy just watched him. After he finished, Sandy was quiet, then answered him.  
  
"Ryan, I think you just said more then you have altogether since you got here. But as for that party, I don't know what you should do. Try to stay out of Luke's way. Get Seth, Marissa, and Anna to go outside as soon as it starts. But if worse does come to worse, get out of there. Fast. Do NOT fight back. Even in self-defence, with your record.  
  
"Don't worry about looking chicken; anyone else at those parties would do the same if Luke had it in for them. How's this sound: I'll give you my pager number, and if things get 'interesting', call it from Seth or Marissa's cell phones, and I'll get my butt over there fast. Okay? I'm sorry, but that's the best advice I can give. I defiantly don't envy you." Sandy said slowly,  
  
Ryan nodded, and stood up. He took the piece of paper with the number scrawled on it. "Thanks, Mr. Cohen."  
  
***********  
  
"Tell me again why we're doing this." Ryan asked uncomfortably. "Luke's gunna be pissed."  
  
"We're doing this because Seth needs help with Anna. And Luke was going to find out anyway, this way it's us telling him and not someone else." Marissa said, but she herself looked scared.  
  
They were sitting on the front steps waiting for Seth, he was taking forever to get dressed because couldn't decide what to wear. In the end, Marissa and Ryan and handed him a black t-shirt and beige cargo pants, and pushed him in his room to change.  
  
"Well, guys, how do I look?" Seth said from behind them. They turned to see him posing.  
  
"Aw, look at our little boy all grown up! On his first date, too. It seemed like just yesterday he was a cynical sixteen year old, and look at him now! Do you think we should get the video recorder?" Sandy said from behind Seth. Seth whirled around.  
  
"Well, get going. Ryan told me you were going to a party. Be careful. How about this time you come back with the land cruiser intact?" Sandy asked.  
  
Seth scowled at him. "Yeah, sure Dad. See ya."  
  
Seth got behind the wheel, and Ryan and Marissa got in the back seats. Marissa directed Seth on where Anna lived, and soon they pulled up in front of the newly built house. Anna was standing there waiting for them in blue jeans and a bright yellow shirt. She smiled when the car arrived, and pulled herself into the front seat next to Seth with a smile and hello to those in the back seats.  
  
"So how are these parties, anyway?" Anna asked as they drove away from the house.  
  
"Bad." Ryan said.  
  
"Very bad." Seth agreed, his eyes on the road.  
  
"Sounds fun!" Anna grinned.  
  
Ryan leaned his face against the glass, the cool glass feeling good on his sweaty forehead. He was worried, he'd never admit it, but he was. He knew that Luke would be there. He knew he'd get in trouble. He knew he wasn't allowed to fight back. He knew he wouldn't be able to run away and call Mr. Cohen. Maybe he could give the number to Seth, or Marissa.  
  
Yeah, sure. That would go over well. 'If I get beaten senseless by your ex-boyfriend, call that number and my snazzy new legal guardian, who is also my lawyer, will show up by himself at a party full of drunk and high teens, and see my unconscious body. Oh, and by the way, did I mention I'm going to be beat up by a kid I could knock out with one measly punch?' Right.  
  
"Earth to Ryan. I repeat, Earth to Ryan." Seth's voice broke through Ryan's thoughts.  
  
"What?" Ryan asked, blinking.  
  
"Dude, we're here."  
  
"Oh." Ryan felt his face flush as Anna and Marissa laughed softly at him. He climbed out of the car, put his arm around Marissa's waist, and started walking towards Holly's pool house.  
  
Ryan couldn't have known it, but everyone else in the car had been thinking similar thoughts.  
  
Seth regretted accepting Anna's offer, because at the time he had forgotten Luke would, of course, be there. There was no going back now, though. Besides, Ryan had looked determined. Of course, now he looked a bit sick, but Seth knew that wasn't because he was afraid of Luke. It was because Ryan knew he couldn't fight back.  
  
Anna was impressed at Ryan's guts. Of course, he had already stolen a car and burned down a house, so obviously he wasn't a wussie. But she knew enough about Luke to know that if she was in a similar situation as Ryan, she would stay the hell away from this party.  
  
Marissa wanted to stop. She wanted to grab Ryan's arm and convince him to take her home. She could plead, beg, insist she was sick for heaven's sake. But they couldn't go to this party. She knew they had to make their relationship public sometime, but not now. Anytime but now. They had finally become comfortable with each other, Ryan was getting close to finally accepting his new lifestyle, and they were late for the party. Luke would already be drunk. Which really wasn't a good thing. Marissa dreaded seeing her ex-boyfriend. She knew that Ryan couldn't fight back, Seth had told her about that. She had seen with her own eyes Luke punch Ryan in the stomach and him not react. She wouldn't be able to watch Ryan get hurt, she couldn't. She knew he could take care of himself, but not with the threat from Social Services to be kicked out of the Cohen's hanging over his head.  
  
But she could do nothing. So she just smiled at Ryan as they walked towards the pool house.  
  
What had they gotten themselves into?  
  
~*~  
  
Author's Notes: Please review!  
  
-Eh, Man 


	2. The Fight

            Disclaimer: I do not own The O.C.

Author's Notes: Apologies for the long wait.  On my temporary hiatus my style of writing changed slightly, hopefully for the better.  This is a nice, long chapter to make up for it!

Fear is a funny thing. 

It's like your feet are cold and you're standing in the snow.  You can ignore it, but it's still there.  You can push it to the back of your mind, think happy thoughts, and deny it, but your feet will still ache.  You can admit your feet are cold, but the temporary relief from admittance will only last a short while.  The ache will be back again soon. 

Fear is the same.  You can say you are brave; you can say you are courageous.  You can say that you aren't afraid of anything.  But the only person you fool is yourself.  And even then you still know.  You still know you want to run but can't.  Want to cry but your eyes are frozen.  Want to scream but can't open your mouth. 

It's the way fear works.  It's the way life works.  There's no denying it, no ignoring it.  The pain and ache will always be there.  It's the way of the world.

But sometimes you want to change the world, change the tiny fact that you're human, and have feelings.  But you can't.

It's the way fear works.

And you just have to deal with it.

            Ryan tightened his grip around Marissa's waist.  He felt the fabric of her blouse rough against his palm, and her warmth seem to thaw his icy cold hand; proving her realism to Ryan even though everything else seemed false.  She smiled reassuringly up at him, pushing her bangs behind her ear with slim fingers.  He tried to smile back, but to his disgust it appeared as a grimace.  She laughed under her breath and smoothed down his worry lines with her fingertips.

            "I'm fine, Marissa."

            "Like hell you are."

            Direct.  To the point.  But he was the one supposed to be given reassurances. 

            "Well, if you two are done………" Seth stated brightly, following them through the door.  Anna lightly pushed Marissa out of the way, and smiled at her, then back at Seth. 

            "You know, I like the doorway.  We could just stay here," Marissa joked uncomfortably, amusement lacing her voice in a slightly forced way.  Ryan squeezed her around the waist again in a sort of half hug.

            "Not really that cool, I guess, but it could work." Ryan nodded in agreement, the corner of his mouth quirking up into a sort of half smile.

"No way."  Anna said decidedly.  "I'm not leaving until I get to dance!"   She finished determinedly, grabbing Seth's arm and pulling him down the hall towards the blaring music and smell of alcohol. 

Ryan, leading Marissa, followed him into the brightness. 

Summer sighed.  She took a long gulp out of her drink, trying not to wince at the harsh taste.  Alcohol she could stand, but whatever concoction she was drinking tasted like lighter fluid.  All things considered, it probably was.  Decidedly placing her glass inconspicuously on the table, Summer jolted uncomfortably as she felt some guy's hand around her waist.  Jerking around, she pushed him away with a melting glare.

"Hey Baby, I'm just here to have a good time," The guy said, his eyes already wondering to his next victim. 

"Yeah, whatever." Summer replied automatically, blowing him off and turning away.  She found her own eyes wondering around the room, before they came to rest on a familiar face near the door.

"Coop?"  Summer asked, unbelieving.  She pushed people out of her way until they were only a few feet apart.  "What are you DOING here?"

Marissa smiled at Summer, and the latter realized for the first time that the other girl's arm was linked with someone else's.  Looking up at the boy as he turned around, her eyes widened.

"Chino!?!"

"Uh, hi Summer."  Ryan said quietly, glancing at her just long enough for the corners of his mouth to quirk up temporarily in what might have been called a smile. 

Looking from one to the other, Summer groaned inwardly.  She wasn't as stupid as she looked, she could put two and two together. Especially with something as obvious as this. 

"Alright, Marissa, I don't know what you're thinking, bringing your rebound man to a party like this," Summer paused as she was jostled from behind from a couple of dancers.  "But it's practically suicide.  Luke's here.  He's drunk.  Get the picture?"

Seth was watching Summer with a dazed look on his face, but Anna pulled him off into the crowd of dancers.  

"So much for the 'stay-together-plan'." Ryan muttered. 

Marissa answered Summer with an air of self-assurance.  "First of all, Sum, Ryan isn't my 'rebound man'. We're meant to be together.  And secondly, we know Luke's at this party.  He was going to find out sometime, wasn't he?"

Summer rubbed her temples, watching Marissa and Ryan intently.  "You two are giving me a migraine.  But seriously, if you two plan on living until next year-"

"Marissa?"

The voice came from behind a crowd of people.  Pushing them aside, Luke shoved his way through.  Finally getting through the dancers, he ran his hand through his blonde hair and looked up at the people standing near the door.

"Marissa, I'm sorry, I-"  Luke's slightly slurred speaking stopped. His bloodshot eyes came to rest at the boy standing next to his ex-girlfriend.

"You." Luke whispered, his voice cool and calm with hate. He started advancing towards Ryan menacingly.   "You-You sonnova-"

"Whoa. Wait a second," Ryan interrupted, pulling away from Marissa and stepping in front of her.  The room seemed deathly quiet except for the music pounding in his ears.  The teenagers stopped dancing, and stood around the small group silently. 

Ryan held up his hands, palms forward, in the universal sign of peace.  "We don't have to do this, man."

"Like hell we don't."  Luke barked, turning around and grabbing a cup from some kid behind him and taking a long drink.

"I'm not trying to-"

Luke swung around and with a right hook slammed Ryan in the side of his jaw.  Someone in the crowd of people screamed.  Some boys cheered Luke on.

Ryan ducked as Luke came at him again, but didn't bring up his arms to fight back. 

"What, are you chicken?"  Luke slurred, walking towards him.  "Little boy from Chino afraid of a little fight?"

"I don't want to do this."  Ryan said calmly, hands in front of him.  "I'm not going to fight you."

            Suddenly, Seth and Anna appeared from somewhere to the side.  Seth made a move to go forward, but Anna held him back.  Marissa had her hands over her mouth, calling desperately for them to stop.

"Please, Ryan, Luke, don't do this."

"I'm doing this for you, Marissa.  I want you back!"  Luke shouted desperately.  He barrelled towards Ryan, and before the later could get out of the way, Luke tackled him to the ground. 

"No, please, Luke, stop."  Marissa screamed, her voice breaking.  Seth reached over and grabbed her from going into the fray. 

"We can't do anything."  Seth murmured to her, watching painfully as Luke punched Ryan in the stomach. 

Ryan flipped Luke over him, and climbed quickly to his feet.  "Luke, come one man, you don't want to do this."  His jaw was on fire, and his ankle was barely supporting his weight.

"How the hell do you know what I want to do?!?"  Luke barked, as he tried to punch Ryan across the face.  Ryan ducked, but this only angered the drunk Luke even more.  "I'll make you wish you never stole Marissa away from me."

Ryan backed up as Luke came at him again, but mentally cursed himself as he felt himself pressed against a wall.  He turned back towards Luke, disgust and anger written on his face.

"You drove her away yourself by cheating on her." Ryan spat at look, pushing himself along the wall as Luke swung at him.  "She deserves better then that."

"Come on, Chino, fight like a man!  Stop running like the chicken you are."

"You beating me up isn't going her come back to you."  Ryan argued calmly.  As Luke paused to digest this new comment, Ryan lunged away from the wall.  The crowd behind him cheered and bellowed catcalls and words of encouragement; the former to Ryan, the latter to Luke.

Luke was still facing the wall, his back heaving with shallow, angry breaths.  The light blue shirt stuck against his back with sweat, and the back of his neck glistened in the bright lights.  His blonde hair was mussed, sticking up in every direction in the back.  Slowly, his shoulders began to shake.  The frothing sea of noise around them dimmed to quietness.  For a moment, Ryan thought Luke was sobbing, but quickly the hard noises became distinguishable as a thick, throaty laugh.

Ryan shot his eyes sideways to Marissa. Her eyes were wide with something akin to terror, and her hand was gripping Seth's forearm. She pleaded with him silently to leave, run away.   The sound of Luke's laugh was echoing forebodingly in his ears, the deep bass of the pounding music sounded like his own heartbeat.  His jaw throbbed along with the beat, the pain melting into the intensity of the moment.  He felt a trickle of sweat break through his hairline on the back of his neck, and trail down his back.

Suddenly, the lamp from next to the wall was in Luke's hands, and he had spun around, using his momentum to slam the heavy iron pole into the side of Ryan's head.  The blow had caught him off guard, and Ryan's eyes fluttered shut, a high, feminine voice screaming something that was lost in a swirl of bright and dim colours all mixing together in a dizzying swirl of darkness.

Cold.

Light.

Sound.

Something wet dripping down his cheek and dribbling onto his neck.

Sharp, biting pain.  Everywhere, everywhere he hurt.  Movement was unthinkable.

But he was moving.  Jarring, uneven movements.  Bright light swayed and swung above him.  Noises came and went in his ears, snippets of calling voices, a nearby growl, and a continuous pounding that ground against his sanity like a sledgehammer.

Abruptly, an explosion.  Ryan's eyes snapped open.

"RYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

His head knocked weakly against the floor.  He couldn't see straight, couldn't decipher up from down or left from right.  Something dribbled into his eyes, blurring his vision even more.  Everything he could see melded together, or spit into duplicates. 

The lights………the lights above him were glaring into his eyes, seemingly giving an unearthly glow to the young man crouched over him. 

Luke.  It was Luke. 

He was punching him, kicking him repeatedly.  Across the face, in the gut………

Things were slow.  Slowly coming together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. 

_Fight back. _

**Do not touch him.**

Mixed messages jumbled through his brain, but the turmoil in his mind momentarily quietened when he saw them.  Blinking desperately, he could see a brown haired girl screaming and crying.  She was straining to reach out to him, but a lanky boy with dark brown hair held her back, tears running down his own face. 

He knew them………_Marissa.  Seth.   Get it together, Ryan._

"Mrhaa………" The words were stiff and unusual on his tongue.  He felt bile rise up his throat, but with effort swallowed it back down.  His head knocked against the floor again, and fireworks exploded behind his eyes.  Well, that explained the explosion he had felt earlier.

Luke saw Ryan's eyes open, and slapped him across the face, hard, while punching him in the stomach.  Ryan's neck napped sideways with the force, and he was brought eye-to-eye with Seth.  He felt a trail of blood drip out of the corner of his mouth, but could do nothing to stop it. 

_Help me.  Please, Seth.  _ But the words wouldn't form on his lips.  He could only stare into his 'brother's' eyes helplessly.  _Please Seth.  Please.  _The number from Sandy lay in Ryan's pocket, unreachable.  Ryan's thoughts became even more disjointed as his head was smacked against the floor.  He couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't cry out. 

He heard Marissa sobbing.  He could hear Luke's continuous cursing.  He could hear the thumping music coming like a heartbeat with every new wave of pain.  His eyes slowly slid shut, and he could do nothing, absolutely nothing to stop it.

Suddenly, the fighting stopped. The continuous punches and kicks against his legs, arms and torso ceased.  Something soft was stroking his face, and something wet was dripping onto his cheeks.  Fighting to open his eyes, he had just gotten a glimpse of wavy light brown hair and bright blue eyes when something came down hard against his head, and everything went black. 

Sandy sat in his office, the light on and the door closed, staring at the phone.  His face was propped up in his palms, but his view never wavered from the black appliance that lay in front of him.  His large eyebrows were drawn together; making his pale face was a mask of concentration that contrasted against his dark hair.

A careful knock sounded dully on the heavy oak door.  Kirsten entered slowly, softly closing the door behind her.  Taking a few steps towards her husband, she regarded him with worried eyes before coming up behind him.  Rubbing his back in a practiced motion, she leaned down to rest her cheek against his.

"What's wrong, Sandy."

Sandy shook his head, finally breaking his eye contact with the phone. 

"Ahhh, it's nothing.  Nothing you should worry about.  Go on to bed, I'll be there in a minute."  He said deftly, gesturing towards the door.

"No way."  Kirsten twisted around so that she was leaning on the desk and looking him in his eyes.  "Sandy Cohen, tell me what's bothering you right now."  Her lips were set, and her light blue eyes were determined. 

There was a momentary power struggle, but Kirsten was the one who came out victorious.  Sandy was too emotionally exhausted to put up much of a fight. 

"I'm a horrible father."  Sandy burst out finally, both his hands up to exaggerate his words.  His voice was cold and serious, the joking quality strangely absent.  No careless grin hung at the corner of his mouth.

"Of course you're not.  What are you talking about?"  Kirsten asked, her mother's intuition flaring up.  "Where's Seth?"  Her eyes automatically flickered upwards through the roof towards his room.

"Not just Seth………Ryan too."  Sandy murmured.  He closed his eyes.  "They're both my sons.  Maybe not genetically, but damn well in spirit."

Kirsten's eyes widened, and a knot of worry twisted in her stomach.  A quavering hand rested on her husband's shoulder.

"Honey, what's going on?"

Suddenly, Sandy stood up, his face decided.  He fished in the bowl on his desk for his car keys, and, picking the familiar objects up, walked towards the door of his office.

"Enough of this waiting. I'm taking matters into my own hands now."

Kirsten shot up and followed her husband out the door and down the hall.  "Where do you think you're going?"

"I have a little party to crash."  Sandy said, stopping in the entranceway to turn and look at her.

"I'm coming with you."  Kirsten insisted, stopping beside him on the doorstep. 

"No way," Sandy intoned, worry fighting its way into his already unstable voice.  Great, he didn't need one more person to worry about.  "I made a mistake, and now I've gotta make it right."

"This guilt trip involves my sons –yes, plural- and so believe me when I say that there's no way in hell that you're keeping me back."

Sandy turned around from where he had been decidedly opening the door.  His eyes rested on his petite wife standing with her legs spread in a fighter's stance, her hands set resolutely on her hips, and her blonde hair flaring out around her blazing eyes. 

Sandy felt himself grinning, momentarily forgetting his purpose.  "Oh you fireball you.  There's the woman I married." Then he was gone, out the door, and Kirsten was following him.

"-Please, Ryan, wake up-"

Ryan lay on the floor, his eyes closed.  A deep gash in the side of his head loomed dark and untouchable.  Ruby blood drenched the side of his face and head, matting his hair and forming a black pool on the floor.  His face was pale and any skin that wasn't slick with blood was covered with a thin sheen of cold sweat.  His eyelids were darkened, and there were various cuts and bruises marking his face.  His clothing was torn and dark with wet blood.

Marissa leaned over Ryan, stroking his cheek softly with shaking fingers while sobbing for him to wake up.  Tears slid from her face to rest on his forehead, and she wiped them away.  She didn't know what to do………Her ex-boyfriend had just beaten Ryan, and Ryan hadn't been allowed to do anything about it.  He hadn't even been allowed to run away.  From the first, she had wanted to jump in and protect Ryan from Luke.  Luke would never his her………Would he?  She didn't know anymore.  She was so mentally and emotionally unstable that all she could do was call desperately for Ryan to wake up and make things better.  He always made things better.

Seth shoved Luke off of him.  He, unlike Ryan, wouldn't get thrown in Juvie for self-defence.  As soon as Luke threw the first punch, Seth wanted to lunge in.  But a look from Ryan had stalled him, and he had concentrated on holding Marissa back.  But from the moment Luke started to laugh, Seth knew something horrible was going to happen.  He felt it deep down in his gut, nagging him to do something, and quickly.  But he –nerdy, predictably Seth- had just stood there in shook, holding a hysterical Marissa, and trying to comprehend what was going on.  Then Ryan was lying on the ground, eyes closed and not moving, blood streaming down his face.  The next moment Luke was on top of him, punching and kicking the limp body.  Those standing around jeered and laughed, not realizing the danger the boy from Chino was in.  Luke could kill him. 

Then, like slow motion in a movie, Ryan had opened his eyes, and looked directly at Seth.  Then, those blue eyes slowly closed.  Seth's gut wrenched, and he fought against the bile rising in his throat.  He had to do something, help Ryan in return for all the times Ryan had helped him. 

And then, in a split second, something in Seth Cohen snapped.

Seth didn't realize that he'd tackled Luke until his arm was drawn back, ready to punch the immobile young man beneath him.  Luke looked up at him through bleary red eyes, wide in still un-comprehending shock.  Seth punched him with all his strength; pain rushing through his knuckles.  The brunette boy didn't have time to moan in pain as Luke woke up from his temporary drunk stupor.

"-You bitch-" The blonde slurred, pushing Seth off of him.  But Seth wouldn't give up now, seeing out of the corner of his eye as Marissa hurried to Ryan's side.  Ryan wasn't moving.  Seth kicked out with his legs, forcing Luke off of him.  He had the advantage; Luke was already tired out from his fight with Ryan, and the alcohol was taking its toll on his stamina.  Luke pulled back for a punch, but Seth aimed a flailing punch towards his stomach. 

Luke doubled over; his balance lost, and fell sideways.  He threw out a final kick out of desperation, but his aim was off. Instead of coming into contact with Seth's torso, as he had formerly planned, his foot slammed into Ryan's head.  Marissa screamed, which broke through Luke's reverie, but then all was silent and dark as Seth got in one final punch across his face.

Seth shakily got to his feet, only to drop to his knees a few feet away next to Ryan and Marissa.  Marissa was stroking his cheek, crying to herself and rocking back and forth.  Seth, with no idea what to do, pulled her into his arms, and held his friend to him.  She welcomed the friendly comfort, and wrapped her arms around his.  Ryan lay in front of them both, silent and still.

"Please, Seth, help me, I don't know what to do."  She whispered, voice broken and unsteady. 

"It'll be okay, we're leaving alright?" He started.  "We're going to go…Wait, where's Anna?"  Glancing around, he couldn't spot his blonde friend anywhere near by.  The room became shockingly quiet as someone turned the music off. The crowd of people was breaking up, now that the action was over, and milling towards the door.  Apparently the party was over.  The sea of discarded cups and overturned furniture made Seth nauseous; echoes of voices lingering in the bright room making gooseflesh rise in small, cool bumps down his arms and a cold shiver run down his spine. 

Seth's head snapped up as a heavy noise crashed through the nearly empty house.  Sandy and Kirsten stood in the doorway, their faces pale and set, and the door beside them flung open against the wall. 

"Oh my god," Kirsten whispered, appearing next to Seth.  He didn't remember seeing her cross the room.  Sandy was right beside her.  Kirsten knelt beside Ryan's head and stroked his cheek.  "Oh, honey," She was lost for words and tears flooded her kind blue eyes.  Kirsten glanced up at Seth, and her hands flew up to encase his face in her warm, soft hands.

"Are you alright, baby?"  She asked, looking into his eyes.  Her fingers found the dark bruise surrounding his right eye and touched it carefully.  Seth absorbed the unguarded love in her gaze, but pushed her hands away. 

"Ryan's the only one hurt," He found his voice had trouble working. Kirsten seized his palm where he had pushed her hands away, and turned it over, looking at his bloody and bruised knuckles sadly.  She looked up at him slowly, but he looked away without meeting her eyes. 

"Kirsten." She turned to where her husband was leaning over Ryan with an unreadable expression on his face.  "I need you to call 911 right now."  Kirsten nodded, and fumbled in her jacket pocket for the device and flipped it open automatically.

Sandy pressed his fingers against the pulse at Ryan's neck, panic creeping up his own chest at how slow and sluggish it was.  His gaze flickered to the side where Luke lay sprawled and unconscious, but then concentrated on Ryan again.  Marissa was at Ryan's other side, her hand on his cheek. 

Suddenly, Ryan's eyelids started flickering, and his head shook feverishly from one side to the other.  His face came to rest against Marissa's hand, almost seeking out its warmth and comfort.  "I'm here," Marissa whispered, her voice breaking. 

"Ryan?"  Sandy asked, his tone grave, "Can you hear me?"

Ryan's eyes opened slowly, showing only a sliver of colour as he squinted to see. 

"Ryan, this is Sandy. I want you to squeeze Marissa's other hand if you can hear me, okay?  I need you to do this for me Ryan."

Marissa looked down towards where her hand was entwined with his. _ Please, _she begged, _Please Ryan.  _With a jolt that reached her heart, Marissa felt Ryan's fingers wrap around hers. There was only the faintest pressure, but when Marissa glanced up at Sandy and nodded, hope was plain on her features. 

"They're coming," Kirsten spoke softly from behind Sandy's shoulder.  Seth knelt next to Marissa, his face pale and his eyes bloodshot.

"No, Ryan! You need to stay with us." Sandy shouted, his voice loosing some of its calm control as Ryan's eyes slid shut.  Marissa swallowed difficultly, the hand on his face shaking slightly as she spread out her fingers. _Stay with me, baby.  _

__

_Ryan lay in a dark room, his breath coming slowly, pain rushing through his head.  Dawn stood in the doorway, surrounded by a gleam of light from the hall.  He couldn't see the look on her face, but his eight-year-old mind cowered in fright, knowing from this far across the room that the stink of alcohol was on her breath.  _

_"What were you thinking, Ry?  I didn't know what to do; you put me in a position I didn't want to be in. What would you have done in my place?"_

_He didn't say anything.  Ryan didn't know, he couldn't know, but he took a guess he wouldn't have shoved himself into the next room to trip over a strangely placed coffee table.  His head ached where he'd slammed it against the edge as he fell._

_"I'm sorry, Ry.  I didn't want to do that, but I had to.  I'm sorry, baby."  Her voice was quiet and slick with honey.  Sweet-talking was something Dawn was good at.  _

_Then she was gone, shutting the door and closing him into darkness.  Now that he was alone, Ryan could let a whimper of pain escape as his head spun.  He knew he hadn't been supposed to leave his room, especially not when his mom was talking to Jose, but he really had needed to use the bathroom.  _

_The door was flung open again, and this time it was Trey who stood bathed in light.  _

_"Oh, you little-" Trey's voice wasn't soft with fake and alcohol-induced comfort.  His voice was harsh, panicked and needy.  His speaking was laced with creative and colourful words that were defiantly not new to Ryan.  _

_"-ing when mom's with the dealer.  She should'a –"  _

_Oh, so that's why he was so irritated.  Trey needed a hit, and Ryan had walked in just when Dawn and Jose had been about to close a deal.  The time it took for Dawn to scream at Ryan and throw him out of the room, Jose had rethought the deal, and decided it wasn't worth his time.  So, of course, this was all Ryan's fault.  _

_"Are you even listening to me? You-" _

_Oh-oh.  In two steps, Trey was next to Ryan, and picking him up by the front of Ryan's ripped T-shirt.  _

_"-I'll teach you not to-" Break for creative language. "-when mom's closin' a deal-" more creative language, and a heavy push across to the wall.  Ryan slid to the ground, refusing to cry out in pain as his bruised head knocked against the hard plaster.  He dizzily looked up as his brother towered above him.  A punch across the face.  Ryan didn't even think to fight back.  Not against his mother, not against Trey.  _

_He heard a snort from above him as his head swam and darkness closed in._

_"- weakling."_

            Ryan's eyes opened.  He was surrounded by stark whiteness that assaulted his pounding head mercilessly. 

            …..What? Had Trey beaten him so badly he'd needed a hospital?  …And who had taken him here in the first place?  They couldn't afford the bills. 

            Mindless panic swept over Ryan, and he tried to sit up.  The world swung around, but he pushed the white blankets away and placed his bare feet on the cold floor resolutely.  Something was attached to his wrist.  Visions of syringes and tracks in pale forearms flashed through his confused mind.  With a cry of disgust, he pulled the unknown attachment from his arm.  Standing up, Ryan's vision was surrounded by a storm of white that threatened to overtake him.  His legs buckled, and he grabbed onto a nearby table for support.  Something slid off and crashed to the floor with a large metallic bang that sent Ryan reeling clutching his head.

            He fell against the wall, and felt around until he found a round, smooth sphere that Ryan assumed was the doorknob.  Twisting and pulling, Ryan stumbled out into the hall.

            There were shoes pounding down the hallway.  Voices were calling, some sounding panicked, some sounded official.  Hands reached out and tried to grab his shoulders.  Ryan pulled away, not understanding. Where was he? What was going on?

            "Hold him down!"

            "Can we get some tranquillizers?"

            "How did he get out? Who was supposed to be in there with him?"

            Ryan pulled away from the clutching hands. He couldn't see, everything was blurring together in an endless cloud of white.

            "No…please…" Ryan begged.  He didn't understand.  "Let me go, I don't…I don't…" His tongue felt thick against the inside of his mouth.  He backed against the wall, crashing into it and having the air forced cruelly from his lungs.  His legs buckled, and waiting hands caught him.  Something cool and metallic pierced his wrist, and his head lulled back against his neck. 

            And then darkness.

_…To Be Continued…_


	3. The Aftermath

Author's Notes: Sorry about the delay. Although it was just _slightly _shorter then the last one. And a word of advice to all you fellow writers out there. Do not lose the disc your sixteen page word document is saved on. Bad things happen.

Thank you to all my reviewers!

Enjoy; this is the last chapter. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own The O.C

* * *

"What do you _mean_ there's been some complications?"

Usually, Wes Jacobson loved his job. Helping people gave him a glow of happiness that resulted in a general feeling of contentment in his life. But it was times like these that made him wish for a very early retirement. He sighed, and shifted his clipboard to his left arm so that he could discreetly wipe his nervously sweaty hands on his white coat. Now he knew why some people thought he was too young to be a suitable doctor.

"As I'm sure you already know, this hospital just recently had a new wing added. Mr. Atwood –Ryan- was placed in one of our new Emergency Care rooms where he could be under constant surveillance while still in an unstable condition." Wes started. He kept his voice calm and even. He had made a mistake, and he had to accept it and move on, no matter how difficult it was for him to do. He only hoped those standing impatiently in front of him would understand.

"We also have hired new staff to operate this new wing efficiently. One of the new staff members, an orderly, was assigned to remain in the room with Ryan. After she administered the prescribed medication under my supervision, I left the room to attend to some of my other patients. After I left, Ryan had a reaction to his medication. His pulse sped up and he suffered from respiration difficulties. The orderly offered assistance to his breathing problems, but not before he awoke abruptly in a delirious state. She tried to use the provided communication system to call for help, but the device was new and untested in the recent wing.

"She then made a mistake that she was released from our establishment for. She left Ryan alone in his room to go for help. He then woke up completely, but still suffered from minor delirium and confusion. Mr. Atwood panicked, and tried to leave his hospital room. He reached as far as the hall before hospital staff were able to assertively quiet him enough to put him back in his room."

Wes stopped speaking, and forced himself to continue to have eye contact with those standing in front of him. A tall man with fair skin and dark hair stared at him seriously through heavy eyebrows. The petite woman next to him had fair hair and red eyes that were filled with tears, but was determined not to let them fall. Shifting from one foot to the other nearby was a wiry boy with dark hair alert eyes; one rimmed with bruises. Next to him was a slender brunette clutching her hands together with shaking hands while biting her quivering lip.

"Can we see him?" The question shook Wes from the thick silence that had temporarily coated them all. He looked at the blonde woman who had asked with her eyes full of worry, love and hope. _Without a doubt,_ Wes thought, _she must be Ryan's mother._ The concern was genuine and unprotected on her face. It was clear she and the rest of the group in front of him cared about the young man.

And, Wes had to admit; he was starting to develop a strange admiration for the boy. From the minute he was brought in, unconscious and bleeding, Wes was reminded of himself in what seemed just a few years ago. When the word was shouted to him down the hall, while talking to one of his patients, that Atwood was having 'complications' as the textbooks put it, he had found himself running down the hall, stethoscope, tie and coat trailing out behind him, to come to the boy's assistance. He had seen with his own eyes the blonde boy crouched against the wall, unable to stand, but defending himself against unknown assailants to the best of his ability. He wasn't unjustifiably or mindlessly aggressive and violent, like most of the 'rampaging' patients Wes and the hospital dealt with. Ryan was confused and acted like a cornered animal trying to escape, not one trying to cause physical harm.

"Yes, but due to his violent history in this hospital, the rules insist that both a doctor and a nurse must be present in case of an emergency." Wes said sorrowfully. He honestly didn't agree in these circumstances, that this was necessary, but he couldn't break the rules on the terms that he didn't agree with them.

"Wait," The man with dark hair called as Wes turned. Wes remembered with a quick glance at his clipboard that the man was Sandy Cohen, Ryan's legal guardian, and Wes assumed, his father. The different last names were intriguing, but until Wes had time to look at more paperwork, his assumption would have to do. Mr. Cohen continued talking. "When you were talking before, what did you mean by 'assertively' quieting him?"

Wes froze, and then slowly turned around. He was hoping he could just skirt the incident, but unfortunately the boy's quick-minded father had caught his vagueness.

"Ryan was panicked, afraid, and confused. He didn't know what he was doing, or where he was. He was still suffering from minor delirium, and wasn't responsible for his actions. When hospital staff in the hallway reached out to lead him back to his room, he backed away and became even more unreasonable. Since he was at a risk at causing himself and others injury, I had no choice but to inject a mild tranquilizer." Wes finished, inwardly wincing at his former actions.

Mr. Cohen's eyebrows drew even closer together in his unreadable expression.

The boy with dark hair near him spoke with anger laced with sarcasm in his voice. "Which was obviously a good idea since drugs given by you were what caused this whole problem in the first place."

"Seth, shh!" The petite woman commanded, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder. The brunette girl didn't say a word.

"If you'll follow me," Wes said, guilt writhing in his stomach as he opened the door and lead the way into Ryan's room.

* * *

Seth was the last to enter into Ryan's room. He didn't want to see him; he couldn't see him. He knew exactly what the scene would be like if he woke up.

_"Get out, you traitor." _Ryan would scream. _"I don't ever want to see you again!"_

_"Ryan," _Seth would undoubtedly try to explain. _"I helped you, I did, when Luke-"_

_"Yeah, _after _Luke had already beaten me to a bloody pulp. Fat lot of help _you _were, standing there looking like an idiot." _Ryan would sneer, his voice full of hatred. _"And here I thought you could actually have been a little bit of help to have on my side." _

Seth stood outside the open door, his eyes averted and refusing to look in the open door. The scene played out over and over again in his head, each time Ryan's voice would scream at him in an increasingly violent way.

"Seth?"

Seth's head snapped up, thinking it might be Ryan. Instead, his father stood, leaning against the doorframe while looking at him in concern.

"Why aren't you in here?"

"I…had to tie my shoe," Seth explained hurriedly. "You know how these things are sometimes. They fall undone just at the most inopportune moment."

Sandy's dark eyebrows rose. "Uh huh." He moved away from the door, leaving room for Seth to come through. Taking a deep breath, Seth entered the hospital room. He might as well face the music.

The room was dim, the white blinds pulled shut to hide the rising sun, but it seemed like darkness in comparison to the brightly lit hallway. The first thing Seth noticed was the blaring whiteness. White walls, white ceiling, white door, white sheets on the bed, hell, even the hospital gown Ryan was wearing was a washed-out and dull white.

_Ryan._

Ryan lay on the hospital cot without moving; the sheets pulled up to his chest and his arms lying pale against the fabric. His face was ashen, and his bruises lay dark against his cheeks. Thick white bandages were wrapped around his head, allowing only a strand of blonde hair to drift out from underneath. Ryan's eyes were closed, but his eyebrows were drawn together in agitation, skewing any form of peace his sleeping figure might impose.

Seth felt his chest constrict at the sight of his best friend. He should have done something, anything………

"Mr. Atwood should be waking any time now, his medication will wear off soon." Doctor Jacobson said in a calm voice, like he was talking about the weather and not about Seth's foster brother's life.

Forcing his attention away from Ryan, who, for Seth, it was almost painful to look at, Seth watched Doctor Jacobson. The doctor looked fairly young, maybe only five to ten years older then himself. He had tanned skin and brown hair, and Seth was quite certain that if Summer was here, he'd have all her attention. This only added to the blossoming dislike Seth harboured for this doctor.

Turning his attention back to Ryan, Seth noticed the nurse bending over him and smoothing out his rumpled covers. Her hair was grey, and had a grandmotherly appearance as she rearranged the pillow behind Ryan's head.

Suddenly, a low moan issued from Ryan's lips. His forehead creased and he rolled his head from side to side. His breathing quickened, and sweat appeared on his brow. Seth felt his eyes widening in fear. Grandma-Nurse was immediately at Ryan's side, lifting his wrist to check his pulse and reading the readouts from the machine next to Ryan's bed.

"Doctor," Her voice was calm and controlled, but the undertone of urgency was blatant. Doctor Jacobson pushed Seth gently to the side and made his way swiftly to Ryan's side. He read the blinking machine's rapidly changing numbers with ease, and had a hushed conversation with the nurse. Seth strained to get out what he could but apparently Jacobson knew he was trying to listen in.

Then the doctor was herding them out of the room, everyone to startled and worried to object. Except for Sandy, that is.

"What's going on? I demand to know what's happening in there!" The kindly nurse looked sadly at them as she closed the door, but didn't say anything. Sandy sat down in one of the chairs across the hall, dark eyebrows drawn and worry lines stretching across his forehead.

Seth whirled around angrily at being kicked out when Ryan was in trouble, but his expression softened as he heard a whimper. Marissa was in Kirsten's arms, and Kirsten was whispering calm words of assurance. Seth crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, but felt himself shaking. This wasn't right, it wasn't. Things were supposed to be easier now. Seth had a friend and brother for the first time in his life, his parents were getting along, Marissa and Ryan were together and Seth was even having success with members of the female persuasion.

Wait, Anna……Where had she gone? He remembered with a flash of dread that she wasn't anywhere near them when Ryan had gotten in trouble. The last time he remembered seeing her was dancing with her at the party.

A gentle warm breeze seemed to float over his whole persona as he remembered dancing with Anna. The feel of his hands on her hips; her hands against his neck. Her head against his chest, the blonde hair tickling his throat and feeling soft on his chin as he rested it on her. Her soft breath on his arm. The glow of the lights in her eyes as she looked up at him and smiled with that self-assured smile that made his stomach twist…and then the flash of confusion as she looked past him and undistinguishable look crossing her face as she looked at the far wall. He had glanced over his shoulder but saw nothing on the far side of the room, except a couch with a boy sitting on it obviously drunk out of his mind.

And then there were screams from near the entrance, and Seth knew immediately that Ryan was in trouble. Turning abruptly he had pulled Anna's hand in the direction of the screams, and had felt a gentle squeeze on his hand, then felt her slim fingers slip out of his. Assuming she was right beside him, he had made his way over to Ryan.

Now it occurred to him he had not seen Anna since. He briefly remembered looking around for her, but not being able to find her. At the time, he was too sidetracked to care. But now, Seth felt a burning feeling deep in his stomach that there was something else he wasn't remembering. His subconscious told him that there was something else.

Looking sullenly around the room, his mood sank even lower. Marissa was leaning against his mother, whose eyes were red and whose lip was quivering. His father sat in one of the hard red plastic chairs. Sandy.

…….Sandy.

* * *

_"But he's my son!"_

_The street lights mixed with the swirling police and ambulance alarms in a bright and dizzying circus of colour. Sirens blared, making Seth want to cower like a child in a corner with his hands over his ears. _

_The cold voice of the paramedic rose above the roar. _

_"Do you have identification?" _

_His voice was a challenge laced with annoyance._

_Sandy fumbled in his pocket for his wallet and finally pulled out his drivers licence. "Here!"_

_The paramedic slammed one of the ambulance's doors shut, blocking Ryan's blonde and bloody hair from view. He snatched up the identification, only to throw it back at Sandy._

_"No, we have that his name is Ryan Atwood. You must be directly related to the person in question to come with us."_

_Sandy growled. "You can't do that!"_

_The paramedic smirked. "Have a nice day." He slammed the door shut, and Sandy heard a lock sliding into place. With a ground-shaking rumble, the ambulance sped away into the darkness of the street. Sandy turned around to look hopelessly at Seth, but Seth found himself unable to meet his eyes. He stared around at anything but his father. The streetlights, the police running to and fro, the bold partygoers still lingering around from nothing better to do, the boy and blonde girl making out on a bench down the street and the policeman walking towards them with the intent of breaking them up…_

* * *

Seth found anger boiling up in his chest. The blonde girl. Searching his memory, he zeroed in on the blonde figure. It had been Anna. And the boy….it had been the drunk boy from the party. The one sitting on the couch against the far wall that Anna had looked at while dancing with Seth. The boy had been looking right at the two, and Seth hadn't even noticed.

Seth felt a feeling of dirtiness wash over him. Anna had been using him, _using _him to get into the party. To meet someone else. Someone she could sneak off with, and….

The door in front of them opened. Doctor Jacobson stepped out. Immediately Seth, his parents and Marissa were asking him urgent questions.

Doctor Jacobson held up his hand to silence them. "Ryan is still suffering minor effects of the drug he had complications with as well as his own nightmares and restlessness. He has developed delirium, which isn't serious as long as he doesn't cause harm to himself or others. You all are free to sit with him if you wish. When he wakes up, I know you'll want to be there." The doctor smiled wanly then turned and started to walk down the hall. He stopped after a few steps and turned around.

"Oh, and if he doesn't know where he is, or who you are, don't worry, it's only the delirium. Keep him calm and call for help if you need it. Due to past occurrences, though, a nurse will be in the room at all times. My judgement is that Ryan is not a threat to those around him, and after a mostly calm first visit I'm downgrading his 'watch', as it were, to only one person and not two."

With that, Wes Jacobsen turned and rounded the corner of the hall. Seth found himself speechless, and immediately turned to walked into Ryan's room. He felt Marissa slip her hand into his for support, and he turned and attempted to smile at her. Her calm brown eyes understood, and together they walked inside.

* * *

Ryan was confused. At first, a soothing nothingness had submerged his senses and left him calm and peaceful. Gradually, the nothingness had taken form into an irritating whiteness that left him reeling. Something nagged the back of his mind about the whiteness. He had a feeling he had been moving, swimming through an unmoving pool of molasses. With the whiteness came panic and an overwhelming uneasiness that made his skin crawl. Then, unlike the gradual coming of the whiteness, the white suddenly became a dark, sinful black. A black darker then Ryan had ever thought possible. Light was something quickly fading from Ryan's memory, along with everything that had ever happened before the all-succumbing darkness. Blackness consumed all of Ryan like a tidal wave. He knew nothing but darkness.

Then, surrounded by light, a pale figure stepped out of the black. Ryan pressed towards her, finding himself falling at her feet. The figure bent down to kneel next to him, soft brown hair falling in ringlets over her shoulders and back; smooth white silk clinging to her body and sweeping the floor in waves. Slim pale fingers brushed against Ryan's check, and he pressed towards the contact, needing to be saved from the darkness by this figure embodying light. Gently the fingers teased their way under his chin and pushed his face up to look at hers.

"….Marissa?" Ryan's voice cracked.

The soft blue eyes were playful. The corner of her perfect mouth dipped upwards in the hint of a smile.

"Ryan." The voice was soft and dipped with honey.

"I'm sorry," Ryan whispered, his voice rough and uneven.

"For what?" The voice purred. Smooth fingers stroked his cheeks.

Ryan found himself unable to answer. He didn't know. He didn't know anything except the darkness. Except for the angel of lightness that had invaded the dark ever so easily and had come to him.

A laugh interrupted his lonely thoughts and made his heart ache. Soft, like everything embodying the being of light.

"Little Ryan," The voice teased, smooth and flowing to Ryan's ears. "Silly Little Ryan."

Ryan felt himself unable to look away from those beautiful blue eyes. They caught him and entrapped him in a cave of sinewy white webs. The fingers were soft against his cheek.

"Did you think I loved you, Little Ryan?"

Ryan felt his heart drop and shatter in his breast, somehow greatly affected by the words that slid so easily off the glowing one's tongue. Again, Ryan felt himself unable to speak. He didn't know who this was, and so he couldn't know what she was talking about. But staring into those deep blue eyes a name slid though his mind, leaving turmoil in its wake. _Marissa_.

Again, the bright tinkling laugh drew through his thoughts.

"Little Ryan, coming from the wrong side of town and showing up where you don't belong." The fingers slid down his cheek and rested on his lips. "I might have loved you once, Little Ryan. When you were a challenge."

Leaning forward, the figure drew near to Ryan. He felt a soft brown ringlet brush past his nose. "Forbidden fruit, you know?" Her breath was warm and sweet against his ear.

She pulled away, and Ryan suddenly felt very cold.

The fingers against Ryan's lips slid back to rest behind his neck. Quickly and without warning, the glowing figure pulled Ryan's face towards hers, and pressed her lips against his. The kiss wasn't sweet, or filled with love. Not even affection. It was forced, quick and harsh, a taste of lies and broken promises and lingering feelings of ridicule and laughter. Pulling away slightly, her voice rich and deep with honey, she whispered against Ryan's lips.

"But what a sweet lie it was."

Standing up, the silkily white dress clinging to her every feature, she glanced down at Ryan crumpled at her feet and her deep red lips curved up into a smile. Ryan glimpsed one final look into her soft blue eyes before she turned on her heel and swept away, brown ringlets and white silk trailing behind her.

* * *

Sandy looked at the clock on Ryan's bedside table. 6:45. He stood up, grabbing his coat from where it lay dropped over his chair. He sighed, and looked at the tired members of his family and Marissa sitting around him. The nurse was sitting in the corner reading a book. Looking once more at the clock, he addressed the members of the room that were not unconscious.

"Damn it all to hell, but I have to go to work."

Kirsten looked up in surprise, and with a hurried look at the clock stood up as well. "Oh my, it's already quarter to eight? I have to be at work in fifteen minutes!"

Seth glanced at Marissa for confirmation, and quick nod was all he needed. "We'll stay. This is more important then school anyway." Expecting an argument, Seth was both surprised and worried when his parents looked at each other and then nodded in agreement.

Kirsten leaned down and kissed her son on the forehead. "We'll come back after work, sweetie. Call my cell if anything happens."

Sandy pointed a finger at Seth. "Me as well. Keep us up to date, you hear son?"

Seth nodded, and looked back at his friend. Marissa leaned her head against his shoulder. Ryan showed no sign of waking up anytime soon. Seth found his eyelids drooping. He was tired, so tired……

"Seth!"

"Wha…what?" Seth pulled himself from the dredges of sleep at the alarm in her voice. It took him a moment to remember what was happening. One look at the hospital room around him and he was leaping out of the hard chair. Marissa was holding Ryan's hand, and the nurse was reading the big beeping machine next to Ryan's bed.

Ryan was tossing and turning, his eyes open but unseeing and sweat dripping down his forehead. Marissa was whispering into his ear, trying to calm him, but evidently was having trouble. Seth joined her, unsure of what to do.

"Ryan, buddy, calm down. You're scaring us, okay? Calm down!" Seth realized his wasn't all that calm himself and that the grandmotherly nurse was looking at him strangely.

Luckily, Ryan stopped struggling, and his eyes slid shut. He lay limp on the bed. Seth and Marissa looked at the nurse. She smiled reassuringly at them.

"Don't worry, he's just sleeping." She said, her voice strangely comforting. She really did sound like someone's grandmother. "You're lucky, I think he's over the worst of it now. He didn't wake up all that much, either. I think he'll be able to go home soon."

Seth sat back down in his red chair, but Marissa stayed next to Ryan's side. Seth admired her love for Ryan. He obviously loved her back, as well. Heck, he'd almost died for her. Propping his chin up on his palm, Seth tried not to think of Anna. He wondered if he'd ever have a relationship like what Ryan and Marissa had. Something special, and not just a cheap imitation.

* * *

Ryan wished the blackness would go away. The pale figure left, but in its place was a deep cold that inhibited his whole body and mind. A longing and feeling up disillusionment stirred deep within his broken and bruised heart. Why was this happening to him? Why wouldn't the darkness just go away?

The blackness suddenly shifted to a lighter tone, leaving Ryan disoriented and confused. The void around him twisted and swirled, forcing him around in a sick and dizzying dance. After what seemed like an agonizing eternity, the spinning slowed to a stop, and the grey became a murky cream colour.

Ryan opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was white. Thinking the whiteness from before was back he felt himself start to become afraid. What followed the whiteness was the blackness, and Ryan didn't want the darkness to come back.

"Ryan?"

Ryan felt fingers on his cheek, and turned away from the touch. The glowing figure was still clear in his mind, surrounded by darkness.

"…can he hear me? I don't…"

"….think he can, I…"

"…Ryan? Can you hear us?…"

The voices were familiar, fresh in his mind. He knew he should answer, tell them he was alright…

And then the pain hit.

It was so abrupt, so unexpected as he worked his way back into consciousness, that he heard himself crying out.

The fingers were back on his cheek, and this time he didn't think to push them away. They were so comforting, and so warm. He opened his eyes and met soft blue ones. _Marissa. _

Her eyes were rimmed with red, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was messy and rumpled. But Ryan thought she was as beautiful as the pale figure in the darkness.

Suddenly, Ryan felt confusion wash over him. But Marissa didn't love him…she'd just spoken softly and teased him…laughed at him.

But this Marissa was different. She stared at him with her blue eyes so full of worry and sincerity that they barely resembled the harsh playfulness that filled the figure's eyes.

Well, there was only one was to find out if she was real.

"Do…" Ryan choked; his voice was raspy and unused. "Do you love me?" He stared into her light blue eyes.

"Yes." She said immediately, surprise quickly erased from her features. She leaned down and kissed him gently on the forehead. Ryan didn't have to say anything; he looked at her with eyes so full of adoration and relief that there was no question as to his answer.

Seth cleared his throat, and Marissa pulled away, a faint blush spreading over her features. "Well, it's good to know that I was right in assuming that question wasn't for me."

Ryan smiled at his 'brother'. He was concerned, though. He'd never seen Seth look so…unlike himself. He had a black eye and a white bandage wrapped around his hand. There were dark circles under his eyes like Marissa's. Instead of the usual laughing enthusiasm, Seth looked tired, worn out, and…something else. Ryan found himself too exhausted to try to disern any more.

Marissa broke the silence. "We were all worried about you. We've been here all night."

"And all day. The parental units will be arriving back from work soon. We've all been here and-"Seth began.

"Seth, wait." Ryan broke in. Speaking hurt, and his head pounded. "Why am I here?"

Seth's eyes widened, and he glanced at Marissa. "You…don't remember?"

Now Ryan was really worried. He tried to push himself up into a sitting position, but the world spun and he felt himself fall back. Blinking away the spinning, he was confused to see an older lady leaning down over him arranging the pillows behind him. He assumed she was a nurse by her white hospital staff gown. Embarrassed for not realizing her presence earlier, Ryan tried to smile at her.

"Er, hey."

The nurse smiled back at him, and then went back to her place in the corner with her book. Deciding with the pounding in his head that he would figure out what she was doing here later, Ryan turned back to Seth and Marissa.

"So, why am I here?" His voice was weak, and Ryan found himself getting even more tired.

"Well," Seth started, rubbing his neck uncomfortably. "Luke-"

Luke.

Luke.

Oh.

Flashes of memory sprung through Ryan's mind at the single name. _Going to the party. His arm around Marissa's waist. Luke being drunk. Luke trying to fight him. Luke laughing. Luke beating him over the head with a lamp. _

After that, everything became fuzzier. Already, he couldn't remember why he'd been so afraid when he woke up. So afraid of Marisssa…He suddenly had a vision of a pale form shining through complete darkness.

_"Did you think I loved you, Little Ryan?"_

Then, like a breath of fresh air, the memory was gone, and he couldn't remember what he was just thinking about.

Feeling his eyelids droop, Ryan felt he had one more matter he could address before he could sleep. Ah, sleep………

"Where's Luke?"

Again, Seth and Marissa glanced at each other. This time, no one volunteered an answer.

"Where's Luke?" Ryan repeated, almost afraid of the answer.

"In another hospital room." Marissa answered finally. Her voice was uneven, but she attempted to speak calmly. "His family is with him. He's alright, just milking it for all it's worth, because…" She trailed off, seemingly unable to finish.

Seth finished for her. His voice was dark, laced with seething anger. "We had witnesses. Tons of them. The police talked to him, were going to send him to Juvie, but…his parents got there first. Bailed him out. Now, his dad's going to take him to live in Portland."

Ryan felt his mind go blank. He fell back against the pillows. Luke didn't even get in that much trouble. Had it been him, all the money in the world wouldn't have been able to bail him out.

"When are they leaving?" Ryan heard himself asking. He felt strangely detached from himself.

"Two days," Marissa answered, confused.

"All right." Ryan felt himself slipping into sleep. "Seth, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Ryan. Just fine."

* * *

Seth climbed into his car as quickly as he could, shoving his briefcase into seat beside him. He'd tried to get through the day as fast as he could. It'd been difficult, though, because things like clients coming to have interviews with him when they didn't have appointments had put him behind schedule. He was anxious to get back to the hospital, because he hadn't heard anything from Seth all day except that Ryan woke up once delirious and the worse seemed to be over.

As he was turning out of the firm's parking lot, Sandy's cell phone rang. Flipping it open as he waited at a red light, he answered it.

"Dad? Ryan woke up, and he was fine!"

Sandy felt like a bag of bricks had been lifted off his shoulders. It had been dragging him down all day.

"That's great Seth! Fantastic! I'll be there in five!" Flipping his cell shut with a satisfying snap, Sandy put a little more gas on the pedal.

Sandy swung into the hospital parking lot four minutes later, and walked quickly down the halls and up the elevator.

He knocked quietly before opening the door and stepping inside. He was slightly surprised to see Doctor Jacobson inside with Seth and Marissa. Ryan seemed to be asleep.

"Hello, Doctor," Sandy said brightly, a wide grin covering his face as he reached over and shook the doctor's hand. "Great day we're having, isn't it?"

Doctor Jacobson smiled back at him. "I take it you heard the good news. Ryan is going to be fine. He'll be released from the Hospital tonight or tomorrow morning if there are no complications.

"That's excellent!" Sandy exclaimed. He sat down next to Seth in one of the uncomfortable red chairs. "So has your mother heard?"

Seth nodded. "I called her right after you. She said she had a few more minutes of work to do, but she'd be here right away."

"And here I am!" Kirsten said from the doorway, pushing blonde hair from her face. "Record time, don't you think?"

Marissa smiled, but Seth rolled his eyes. Sandy turned to look at Ryan and was glad to see some colour had returned to his cheeks and he had an altogether more peaceful look on his face.

* * *

For the first time since Ryan had walked into his office yesterday afternoon, almost twenty-four hours ago, Sandy had a feeling that everything would turn out alright.

"Ryan! You're supposed to be in bed!" Kirsten reprimanded, blowing a strand of blonde hair out of her face as she attempted to cut a bagel in half.

Ryan shrugged, sitting at the kitchen counter. She reached over and felt his forehead with the back of her hand. "Well, you don't feel warm."

"Hey Honey. Ryan." Sandy greeted them as he walked into the kitchen. He saw Kirsten's attempt and took the knife out of her hands. "All right, don't hurt yourself now." Kirsten glared at him, but looked slightly relieved.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Sandy asked as he took a bite of sesame bagel. Ryan nodded, pouring some cereal into a bowl.

"He passed the forehead test." Kirsten said as she handed Ryan the milk for his cereal.

"Ahh, the forehead test." Sandy nodded, waving his bagel in the air. "Interesting how that's considered medically accurate, isn't it?"

Ryan nodded again, stirring his cereal.

The noise of a herd of elephants thumping down the stairs alerted everyone to Seth's entrance. "Morning family!" He said brightly.

"Got up, I see?" He asked, sitting down directly across Ryan.

"Did you pass the forehead test? That one's always the hardest. I don't even know how it's medically accurate."

Ryan looked up with a thin smile and raised eyebrows. "I think you guys are related."

Seth smirked. Then his smile became more serious. "Hey, isn't Luke leaving today?" Sandy looked up from the paper, and Kirsten looked up from her cup of coffee.

"Yeah, he is." Ryan said quietly, startling Sandy and Kirsten.

The moment was broken by Kirsten looking at her watch. "Boys! Go! You're going to be late! Ryan, call Rosa if you don't feel well today at school, she said she'd be happy to go and pick you up if you need it." Kirsten assured him, handing him and Seth their jackets as they headed out the door.

* * *

The last bell of the day could not come soon enough for Ryan. His headache had returned, but he was determined not to have to go home. He couldn't miss anymore school; he'd only missed two days and already he was weeks behind. Ryan wasn't even sure how that was possible.

Marissa had been posted to his side all day. And Ryan had to say he didn't mind one bit, her presence was reassuring and calming. Luke was nowhere to be found, and the general population of the school acted slightly better to Ryan now that Luke wasn't breathing down his neck at every turn.

One of the down parts of Ryan's day had been when he asked curiously whatever happened to Anna after not seeing her around all day. Seth had told him in a few very short, very un-Seth-like sentences what she had done.

He seemed to get over it pretty fast, though, or at least distracted as Summer came to sit beside Marissa.

Seth played with his skateboard as Ryan unlocked his bicycle. He looked up at the big clock tower the school had, and turned back to his 'brother'.

"Hey, Luke leaves in an hour. Want to go see him off?" Seth asked deftly.

Ryan shrugged. "Sure. Lets go."

* * *

Ryan climbed off his bicycle and Seth flipped up his skateboard just as Luke was shoving a large duffle bag into the back of his pickup truck. Luke turned around, and his eyes widened in fear at the two standing in front of him. Cursing under his breath, Luke dropped the bag in the trunk, slammed it shut and backed up against his truck with his arms out, palms up.

"Okay guys, come on. That was then, and we're over it now, right guys? Guys?" Luke's voice cracked in fear and squeaked towards the end. Seth found himself trying not to laugh.

"I don't know. Think we should beat him up, Seth?" Ryan asked calmly.

"That's a good question, Ryan." Seth answered, desperately trying to keep a straight face. In front of them, Luke was about to wet his pants.

"Guys….Old buddies. I always liked you, Ryan. Good heart, and all that." Luke attempted. "But peer pressure, you know." He squeaked. He slowly inched his way towards the car door.

His movement wasn't lost on Ryan and Seth.

"Portland, I hear it's nice there at this time of year." Seth said mildly. "Allotta birds migrate through there, apparently. And these birds –you know, seagulls and all that. Nasty tempers- well, some think they migrate because of the weather. It's cold; the little birdies in their little feathers can't take it so they boot it off to somewhere warmer. But, you know, _I _think it's because the little birds have some predators, like, I don't know, how about tigers, Ryan?"

"Yeah, I like tigers." Ryan agreed, the corner of his mouth twitching up.

"Yeah, see, those tigers got annoyed at the little birdies, and told them not to come back. Ever. So them little birdies, poor things, will have to find somewhere else to fly to next year. Because if they ever came back, I don't know, the tigers might eat them or something. Tragic really." Seth continued blandly.

"Tigers." Luke whispered shakily. He reached his door and swung it open. He made a move to climb inside, but Ryan reached him first. With a heavy swing, Ryan drilled him across the jaw. Luke went reeling and fell to the concrete. Rubbing his jaw, he looked up at Ryan in fear.

Ryan reached down a hand to help him up, his face all innocence. Luke didn't take it, but scurried up into the driver's seat.

"Are you alright? You should really be more careful when you open the car door. You really slammed that one into your face there. Ryan and I are real concerned, old buddy." Seth said, his voice full of concern.

As Luke drove away, Ryan and Seth shared a look and Seth burst out into laughter.

"Tigers?" Ryan asked wryly.

"I happen to think a tiger is a fine and noble animal."

"I'm sure you do, Seth."

"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why was he so scared?"

Ryan shrugged. "I guess because he thought we were going to get revenge. Two against one. He isn't suicidal."

Seth laughed again. "God, did you see the look on his face? That was great. Especially with the car door thing."

"Seth," Ryan sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he and Seth walked back towards their respective modes of transportation. "I think I've been spending too much time around you."

Seth grinned, and threw his arm around Ryan's shoulders.

"Yeah, I guess it's like the land of no return. There's no going back."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, but felt himself smiling. Seth joined him, and together their laughter faded away into the late afternoon light.

* * *

> > > > > > _The End _


End file.
